The present invention relates to a communication network, but more specifically to a method and an apparatus that hands off control of service access between service providers communicating through a cable IP network.
In some present-day circuit-switched environments, a service provider allows subscribers to communicate with other subscribers through a telephony network resale service. Such resale services are based on two known business models, i.e., a Total Services Resale (TSR) model and an Unbundled Network Elements (UNE) model. Both models involve complicated regulatory and financial arrangements for the exchange of network service fees among service and network providers.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cable telephony network service access that avoids complicated inter-provider operations and billing processes of the prior art while allowing a calling party to designate his or her desired service provider on a per-call basis with minor changes to the existing network infrastructures.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cable telephony network service access that decouples service provider selection from a network provider and that allows a selection of a service provider and/or call handling protocol based on criteria such as call type, dialing plan, destination, or other criteria.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cable telephony network service access that allows a network provider to use a hand-off Call Management Server (CMS) and/or a network provider CMS to authorize users and then transfer call control to a CMS of competitive service provider. This avoids sending the dial-around traffic or primary carrier traffic to a circuit switch, e.g., a public switched telephone network (PSTN), for processing.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide value-added services, such as videoconferencing, in a cable IP network that operates across multiple service providers.